2018 Yamaha F15 Portable Tiller ES PT F15LPHA Outboard Motor

The "PT" in this F15LPHA's name marks power trim and tilt, fitted to a tiller-steered Yamaha engine that puts out 15 hp from a 362cc two-cylinder block; the shaft here runs 20 inches, longer than the short-shaft tiller trims, and dry weight is listed at 132 lbs.

What the power actuator changes

Instead of setting a tilt pin by hand, this trim moves trim electrically between -4 and +16 degrees, with tilt reaching 71 degrees, while still being worked from a tiller handle at the stern rather than a remote console. A 20-inch shaft also puts it on a taller transom than the plain tiller models in this line.

Power trim and tilt tends to appeal to anyone who adjusts running angle often through the day, since reaching down to reset a pin gets old quickly compared with a switch at the tiller grip.

Standard equipment includes an aluminum propeller, the tiller handle hardware itself, a fuel tank, a quick-connect fuel line and the owner's manual.

Questions buyers ask

What does "PT" stand for here? Power trim and tilt, as opposed to the pin-set tilt on other tiller trims in this line.

What's the ignition? CDI microcomputer ignition feeding a single carburetor.

What's the warranty? Coverage runs 3 years for pleasure and government use, 1 year commercial, per Yamaha's terms.

Is the alternator the same as the plain tiller trim? Output specs on this family are consistent at 10 amps regardless of the trim letter.